I don't remember Cincinnati being much of a taco town when I was growing up in the 1980s. There was Taco Casa and Taco Bell and, while younger readers might not remember it, Zantigo, a Minneapolis-based chain that was later purchased by Taco Bell.
These days, it's a whole new story. Thanks to immigrant business owners opening their own taquerias in the Cincinnati suburbs and, especially, Northern Kentucky, we have authentic spots serving homemade tortillas filled with ingredients ranging from al pastor to carne asada to tripe.
Add to that a group of Cincinnati-born taco fanatics who, after meticulous research, have opened modern taco taquerias of their own, and we are punching above our weight, at least for a mid-sized Midwestern city that was
late to the taco game.
Here are some of my favorites.
Pata Roja, Downtown
Derrick Braziel did his research before opening Pata Roja on Court Street. He apprenticed at a Mexico City taqueria and kept going back until he felt confident enough to open a place of his own – first as a food truck, then as a brick-and-mortar. His passion for tacos al pastor is particularly strong and he serves one of the best, the tortillas fresh off the griddle, the meat citrussy and perfectly seasoned.
His birria tacos are popular, too, but don't sleep on the specials, whether it's the campechano − filled with chorizo, pork shoulder, brisket and ground chicharrones − or a taco stuffed with fried chicken or adobo pork. Each is folded into blistered corn tortillas that will make you feel like you're traveling from Cincinnati to an old-school taqueria in Mexico or Southern California.
52 E. Court St., 547-8226, patarojatacos.com.
Taqueria Los Cunados, Oakley
On the side of an Oakley BP gas station is an unexpected oasis: a colorful food truck decorated with enough plants and flowers to make you feel relaxed, even at the chaotic intersection of Madison and Edwards roads. The tacos at Taqueria Los Cunados will make you think you've stumbled upon a hidden gem, even though taco enthusiasts have known about it for years. Whether you choose al pastor, chorizo or carne asada or chicken, the meat stands out thanks to their signature marinades.
Along with the Oakley location, Los Cunados also has a truck in Bellevue and does Taco Tuesdays at The Delmonico cocktail bar, in Wyoming.
2696 Madison Road, Oakley, 513-262-3753.
Mita's, Downtown
Surprised to see this one on the list? While Mita's is in no way a dedicated taqueria, the inspired tacos on its carne (meat) menu are superb. The tacos change according to the seasons. It might be a fried fish taco topped with sweet peppers, cabbage and mayo made with locally foraged paw-paws on one visit, or a braised lamb taco with corn salsa, black garlic crema, cotija cheese and cilantro the next.
No matter which taco Jose Salazar and his team have on the menu, I'd suggest you order one.
501 Race St., Downtown, 513-421-6482, mitas.co.
Mazunte Centro, Downtown
For many Cincinnatians, Mazunteoffered them their first bite of an authentic Mexican-style taco when it opened in 2013. And while it now has plenty of competition, it's still a go-to spot for some of the best tacos − and best salsas − in town.
Whether it's a simple chorizo taco at Mazunte's original taqueria, in Madisonville, or a chile relleno taco filled with goat-cheese-stuffed roasted peppers and queso at Downtown's Mazunte Centro, this place offers some of the freshest, most well seasoned fillings in town.
All of the tacos are served on soft corn tortillas made at the restaurant's Madisonville commissary, Mazunte Mercado, which also serves as a Mexican grocery and restaurant.
611 Main St., Downtown, 513-785-0000, mazuntecentro.com.
Tacos El Joven, Westwood
Tacos El Joven is a food truck located in the parking lot of an Ethiopian grocery store. The hand-painted menu boasts fillings such as tripe, tongue and huitlacoche, an edible fungus that grows on corn and tastes like smoky, earthy mushrooms. The barbacoa is fantastic, as is the smoky al pastor. And while some chicken tacos tend to be dry and flavorless, these are juicy and perfectly seasoned. All are served on corn tortillas with enough fillings to make them a meal.
2157 Queen City Ave., 513-208-1713.
Lita's Tacos, Florence
Lita's is my winner for the prettiest tacos in town. Each is zig-zagged with colorful cilantro or tomatillo sauce made by co-owner Mari Pinto's mother (and the restaurant's namesake), Lita. Try the cowboy chicken taco with shredded chicken pico, cotija cheese and jalapeno cream sauce, or just go with a more traditional carne asada or chicken taco. This place is a hidden gem that more people outside of Florence should know about.
4973 Houston Road, Florence, 859-817-0163, litastacosky.com.
Shango's Urban Taqueria, Norwood
Chef Steven Graham puts a Southern spin on the tacos he serves at Shango's, which is located in The Gatherallfood hall in Norwood.
First there's the Son of Sori, filled with corn meal-fried red snapper, red cabbage, pickled onion, fire-roasted corn, cilantro and sweet, spicy bang-bang sauce. Also try the Buddy B with Creole shrimp, crawfish, callaloo, avocado-lime ranch dressing, Chihuahua cheese and scotch bonnet peppers. Graham's jerk chicken tacos will knock your socks off, too.
2750 Park Ave., Norwood, shangostacos.com.
Olla, Covington
The corn tortillas at this colorful Covington spot are served slightly blistered, filled with your choice of proteins such as carne asada, adobada (spicy, smoky pork), chicken, shrimp or salmon. Vegetarian and vegan options are also available. But the biggest reason customers visit Olla is for their addictive birria tacos.
As a person who was never fond of birria because of its richness and greasiness, Olla's version changed my mind in one aromatic, subtly smoky bite.
302 12th St., Covington, 859-261-6552,ollacov.com.
Tortilleria Garcia, College Hill, Mason and Springdale
In 2014, Omar Garcia, who grew up on a farm in Michoacan, Mexico, changed the game when he started making tacos with his own house-made tortillas at Tortilleria Garcia, a small taco shop in Springdale. It was the first time many Cincinnatians tasted a fresh, warm, truly authentic tortilla. Years later, Garcia now has two additional locations, in College Hill and Mason. But his tacos, which include carnitas, chicken, asada or al pastor, still stand out as some of the most popular in Greater Cincinnati.
Bakersfield, Over-the-Rhine
The tacos at Bakersfield, a California-style joint in Over-the-Rhine, never disappoint. The shrimp taco is served with crispy shrimp, spicy chipotle lime crema, creamy guacamole, crisp red cabbage and pickled Fresno chilies. The cochinita with achiote-braised pork, pickled red onion, cilantro and habanero hot sauce. The chicken for their chicken tacos is braised with guajillo adobo; the pork for the carnitas, braised in beer. And if you're feeling more like a traditional American suburb-style taco, they have hard-shell taco with ground beef, too.
Bakersfield, which is owned by the Cincinnati-based Thunderdome Restaurant Group, has turned into a regional chain in recent years, with locations in Columbus, Pittsburgh, Nashville and Indianapolis.
1213 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, 513-579-0446, bakersfieldtacos.com.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 10 taco joints that prove Cincinnati is finally a great taco town
